1st Division Has Liftoff; Premier Division Week #4

Saturday 1st Division - LESA FC United - led by former 2007 MLS MVP and DC United stalwart, Luciano Emilio - and Duke Vikings FC, a team comprised of several James Madison University soccer alumni, notched their first victories as the WPL 1st division season finally got underway.

Sunday Premier Division – Week #4 saw 4 teams on a bye, but plenty of action on the pitch. Fighting BOBs continued their perfect start with 9 points out of three games, while Capital City failed to claim maximum points for the first time this season, falling to Dulles Sportsplex Aegean Hawks.

Saturday – First Division - October 10th

Duke Vikings FC – 2 vs Cavaliers/Conquistadores – 1

4:30 PM KO @ Montgomery Blair High School Stadium

Duke Vikings FC played their first game in the WPL on Saturday, facing off against a re-tooled Cavaliers/Conquistadores in a 4:30 pm fixture at Montgomery Blair High School in Silver Spring. The game started very tight, as it was both teams’ first game of the season.

With about 10 minutes remaining in the first half. Duke Viking FC’s Kieran Rice played a pass to former James Madison University teammate Andrew Harvey, who shot from about 45 yards out to chip the Cavaliers goalkeeper and give Duke Vikings a 1-0 lead to take in to half time. After the half, Duke Vikings got off to a quick start as Christian McLaughlin won the ball in the midfield, dribbled down the field and shot a laser strike from 25 yards out to give Duke Vikings a 2-0 lead.

Cavaliers/Conquistadores continued to press, and had a goal ruled out for offside in the second half. Their efforts were finally rewarded with a goal by Lucas Higdon off a pass by Svetlin Penchev with 10 minutes remaining, leading to a nervy end to the game. Duke Vikings were able to hold on for the 2-1 win.

World Bank/City FC – 0 vs LESA FC United – 5

6:15 PM KO @ Montgomery Blair High School Stadium

World Bank/City FC hopes to regain promotion to the Sunday Premier division took a stiff blow on Saturday vs league newcomers LESA FC United. The match was controlled throughout by LESA, led by 2007 MLS MVP Luciano Emilio.

Thiago Augusto kicked off the scoring early on an assist by Luciano Emilio. Luciano Emilio notched LESA’s second off a free kick. Gabriel Camargo scored two in a row, assisted by Luciano Emilio and Jonathan Aquino. Donald Reyes finished off the scoring for LESA off a feed by Lucas Camargo. LESA FC netminder Domingo Esparza had two one vs one saves to preserve the clean sheet and to round out the solid debut for the WPL newcomers.

Sunday Premier Division

Capital City FC – 0 vs Dulles Sportsplex Aegean Hawks FC – 1

6:15 PM KO @ Long Bridge Park #1

In the first Premier division match of the weekend, current league leaders Capital City FC took on the Dulles Sportsplex Aegean Hawks with eyes on extending their perfect start to their Fall 2015 campaign. The Hawks came out lively and used successful high pressure by center midfielders Julio Arjona, Steve Hauschild, and Watson Vaughan-Prather to give the Capital City FC midfield and defense fits, controlling the run of play for the first half hour. The high press yielded several golden opportunities to pull ahead, but a combination of poor finishing and stellar play from Capital City goalie Jeremy Cooper kept the game level. In the last 15 minutes of the first half, the Hawks appeared to tire and Capital City was able to put together some possession and a few chances, but neither team could break the deadlock before halftime.

A re-energized Hawks squad stormed out of the break pushing hard to breakdown the Cap City back line. Midway through the half a poor clearance from a Cap City defender was gobbled up by Hawks winger Chris Hennings, who penetrated and passed to teammate and former Georgetown Hoya, Scott Larrabee, on the left side of the pitch. Larrabee took a quick cut to the middle and a placed a nice, low finish to the near post and the deadlock was broken.

With the lead, the Hawks dropped back and Cap City began throwing numbers forward in search of the equalizer. While Cap City came close on a few chances, the Hawks defensive line stood firm to grab all 3 points, leaving both teams with 3 wins and 1 loss at the end of week 4.

Soccerdome.Com/ICC – 0 vs Fighting BOBs – 2

6:30 PM KO @ Fairfax High School Stadium

The first Premier fixture out at Fairfax High pitted a high caliber matchup between Soccerdome/ICC and Fighting BOBs. In a tightly contested game between both teams, ICC started the match with 8 players and set out to defend, doing a good job of limiting Fighting BOBs attacks until reinforcements could arrive shortly after kickoff. After about 10 minutes Soccerdome/ICC were able to field 11 players, and continued to close down spaces making it hard for BOBs to find an opportunity on goal. As the match creeped into the mid part of the second half, neither team could break the gridlock and chances were evenly spread between both teams. Fighting BOBs was finally able to break through the ICC defense with some penetration on the left flanks. Sam Forline found the net around 70 minutes in from a cross by Omar Ismail. The goal forced ICC to press forward, opening up more room for Fighting BOBs on the break. The Fighting BOBs scored again with about 10 minutes left in the match, with Clemson product Eric Cava cutting inside from the right off another feed by Omar Ismail and shooting with his left foot into the far corner. Fighting BOBs is enjoying a perfect start to their Fall 2015 campaign and lead the table with 9 points out of three matches.

Washington Elite – 2 vs Fados Irish Pub/Conquistadores – 0

8:15 PM KO @ Fairfax High School

Sunday night’s matchup between Washington Elite and Fados Irish Pub/Conquistadores was a very evenly-matched game in which both teams struggled to put the ball into the net. Elite was looking to rebound after their first loss of the season in Week 3, while perennial league contender, Fados , was looking to eliminate their scoring hex and secure their first points of the season. Both teams came out with a lot of energy, and while Fados scoring woes continued with several clear-cut chances going unrewarded, Washington Elite was able to pull ahead in the 71st minute off a foul on Eduardo Floresin the Fados box, yielding a PK. Team captain Lamar Hydestepped up to bury the penalty and give Washington Elite the lead. Fados chances to equalize took a plunge when they were issued a red-card in the 75th minute. Late in the match, Elite’s Matthew Moorequickly burst down the right flank and served a ball to the middle. Bangaly Keitacollected the cross and blasted an upper ninety shot outside the eighteen-yard box through the Fados net to put Elite up by two at the 86 minute mark and close out the game.